Sixers talk to Collins

Sixers President and General Manager Ed Stefanski met yesterday with Doug Collins in Phoenix regarding the team's vacant head coaching position.

Joining Stefanski at the meeting with Collins was Sixers Sr. Vice President and Assistant General Manager Tony DiLeo as well as club consultant and long-time NBA head coach Gene Shue.

"We had a very productive meeting yesterday with Doug to discuss the position and his philosophies," Stefanski said. "He is someone who has a proven track record as a head coach and has great knowledge of the game. We appreciate him taking the time to meet with us. We will continue our due diligence on all the candidates as we continue to narrow our search for a new head coach."

Stefanski is also scheduled to meet with former Dallas coach Avery Johnson in Houston today while The Philadelphia Daily News has ex-Knick Mark Jackson is now in the hunt.

Collins, now an NBA analyst on TNT, has coached eight seasons in the NBA and was the Sixers' first-round draft choice in 1973.

Other candidates mentioned include Boston Celtics associate head coach Tom Thibodeau, San Antonio Spurs highly-regarded assistant Mike Budenholzer, former Toronto coach Sam Mitchell and Larry Brown.



Collins reportedly wanted the Sixers' job last year when Stefanski made the ill-fated decision to hire Eddie Jordan, although it's very questionable whether the Comcast brass would have given Snider he funds to hire a coach of Collins' pedigree.